The Potion Master's Assistant
by veela00m4d
Summary: A mysterious new student transfers to Hogwarts from Durmstrang, but no one knows why. As she is thrust into Snape's life, will they uncover each other's secretes? Will they be able to resist the forbidden? Post-war, Snape survived. M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1: Hogwarts' New Addition

Professor Snape sat wearily at the head table, shadows encircling his onyx eyes. He had only just returned from his trial at the Ministry of Magic earlier that afternoon, being cleared of all charges against him just in time to begin the teaching year at Hogwarts. It had been a ridiculously long, arduous summer. After he had recovered from the final battle at Hogwarts, where he had nearly died from Nagini's bite, he was taken custody by Ministry aurors and his investigation began. It took months of intense interrogation, countless courtroom visits, and the testimony of many eye-witnesses, including Harry Potter himself, to convince the Wizengamot that Snape was innocent. The memories of their joint plot that Dumbledore had cleverly stashed in his office also played a role in winning Snape his freedom.

However, the outcome of the trial did little to improve Severus's frame of mind. As he sat at the head table, swooning with fatigue, memories flitted through his head…Dumbledore, dead at his hand, crashing lifelessly to the ground under the astronomy tower…the shrieks of the terrified and helpless muggles he unwillingly tortured to maintain his cover…his own blood pouring from the gash in his neck, certain he was going to die. At this last memory, Snape subconsciously ran his left hand over the scars that adorned his neck, a permanent physical reminder of the night he almost lost his life. _I should have died,_ he thought. _Then I would not be here, with everyone either throwing me suspicious glares or simpering looks of pity. I killed him. _

The Great Hall had slowly filled with students and the rest of the staff as Snape sat, exhausted and lost in memories. He was pulled from his reveries by McGonagall's piercing voice, calling out over the throngs of students.

"Attention! Attention everyone, please. That's right, listen up. Before we begin the sorting, I have some quick announcements. As you all know, due to the problems with the quality and continuity of your _education _last year, you will be repeating the same year."

The students let out exasperated groans of complaint at this reminder. McGonagall silenced them with a few graceful waves of her arms.

"Hopefully this time around, you will actually learn what you ought to have been taught last year. This means there will be twice as many first years, so be patient with our staff, as we are quite overloaded this year."

Snape bristled at the mention of the conditions he would be teaching under this year. He was already aware, of course, but it was no great joy to him to have twice as many dunder-headed first years to teach. McGonagall had tried to appease him by promising to find him a suitable potions assistant to help him grade assignments and tutor his less intelligent students. Hopefully this assistant wasn't totally inept. He also sincerely hoped it was not the Granger girl. McGonagall ought to have more common sense than that. He sighed loudly, his shoulders drooping even lower as McGonagall pulled out the raggedy, ancient Sorting Hat.

"Now, let the Sorting begin!" her clear voice rang out with excitement.

After the hat sang its annual tribute to the various houses, the Sorting went on as it usually did, much to Snape's boredom. Each house applauded loudly when a new student joined their ranks. Snape sneered as he caught a glimpse of Potter and his friends, cheering with enthusiasm each time a new Gryffindor was announced. Fighting on the same side of a war did not quell his distaste for Potter, or most Gryffindors for that matter. Remembering Potter in the courtroom, pleading with the Wizengamot on his behalf, made Snape scowl. More than almost anything, he hated feeling indebted to the Potter boy.

As the last first year removed the hat and scampered over to a table full of Ravenclaw students, the Great Hall erupted into anxious chatter. Everyone was eager to begin the feast with their new classmates. However, McGonagall remained standing at the front of the room, and no food appeared.

"Attention all!" McGonagall's voice range out over the cacophony. "We have one more student to sort! She is a transfer student from Durmstrang, and will be joining the 6th years."

At the mention of this, the entire hall grew quiet. Even Snape's interest was piqued, for there had never been a transfer student at Hogwarts in the entire time he had been there. McGonagall waved encouragingly toward the entryway, and a thin, fair-skinned girl cautiously entered the room. Every head in the Great Hall was turned to inspect the new student. Her bright blue eyes were wide and her long, brunette hair framed her angular face. She struck Snape as quite delicate. Her steps were silent as she crossed the Great Hall, hundreds of eyes trained on her every move. As she approached the head table, Katya looked up into the pale, statuesque face of a man with black eyes. When his intense gaze met hers, she quickly averted her eyes. When Katya reached McGonagall, the girl turned her back on the head table in order to face the crowd of students.

"Everyone, this is Katya, our new student. Go on dear, have a seat and we will get you sorted," McGonagall directed.

Katya sank slowly into the chair and McGonagall ceremoniously placed the sorting hat onto her head. As usual, it looked oversized and ridiculous, hiding Katya's radiant blue eyes from view. Katya knew of the four different houses, and was quite indifferent as to where she was placed. After all, what did it matter what house she was in when…no. She wouldn't let herself think about her lost family. She had a new life to start her at Hogwarts and dwelling on the past would be of no help.

Inside the dark confines of the hat, Katya's breathing quickened. _Everyone is looking at me, _she thought in panic. Then she heard a worn voice inside her head.

_A transfer, very interesting! I do love a challenge. Let's see, hmmmm…plenty of intellect and skill…but also bravery. A good soul truly, but you have done dark things. Cunning, yes, yes. And what magic! Quite the difficult one, aren't we? What am I to do with you? _

_I don't care_, thought Katya painfully, just wishing that this intrusive hat, which seemed to pierce right through her, would be gone. The longer the Sorting Hat took to place Katya, the more attention she was paid. Everyone was leaning forward, waiting with bated breath to see where this new, mysterious student would be placed. After what felt like forever to Katya, the hat spoke to her again.

_I see…so much sadness. Such hurt. But I think I know just where you need to be…_ "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat's decisive voice echoed throughout the Great Hall.

As the Gryffindor table whooped and hollered their approval, Snape stoically clapped his hands along with the other staff members. Katya jumped up from the chair and quickly yanked the hat from her head, relieved to be free of its suffocating inspection. She made her way to the nearest table decorated with red and gold and slid into a seat on the end. She smiled politely as she was clapped on the back by her new housemates.

McGonagall cleared her throat once more and declared, "Let the feast begin!"

Everyone around her was soon focused on the massive amounts of various delectable dishes that suddenly appeared. Katya was no stranger to magic, having grown up in a pureblooded home, but the mixture of colors and aromas was still overwhelming. She was grateful to finally have the attention drawn away from her, and although she was not hungry, she helped herself to a small portion of food.

Snape spent the majority of the evening indulging in the fine meal while dodging conversation with the other staff members. This proved quite difficult, as the new defense against the dark arts professor, former auror Marcus Lamont, seemed completely intent on engaging him. As he lazily scanned the Great Hall, Marcus's voice buzzing annoyingly in his ear, Snape's eyes alighted on Hogwarts' new addition. Normally he ignored Gryffindors except to deduct points, but there was something about this Katya that caught his attention. She quietly ate her meal, speaking when spoken too. Her luminous alabaster skin stood out strikingly against her darker hair. She smiled when she was addressed, but he couldn't help but notice that the smile never really reached her eyes.

Marcus's twittering voice interrupted his thoughts once again, and Snape turned to him with an irritated expression. _Thank gods this dinner is almost over, _Snape thought. He was so tired from the day's ordeals, and he still had much preparation to do for his classes the next day. As Marcus continued his unwelcome conversational advances, Snape's mind drifted to lesson plans, potions supplies and the stiff drink he would be having upon returning to his dungeon quarters.


	2. Chapter 2: Rage and Power

Chapter 2

By the end of the first week of classes, Katya had learned a few things about life at Hogwarts. The first was that her potions professor was not to be crossed. The second was that Draco Malfoy was a complete git. She had accidently melted her cauldron on her first day of potions class, earning a severe tongue-lashing from Professor Snape and a deduction of 20 house points for "not paying attention". The injustice of it infuriated her! It wasn't her fault that the blonde prat from Slytherin house kept accosting her while she tried to remember if the ground dragon's tongue went into the potion before or after the gurdyroot. He had approached her as she worked and whispered, "So, just how bad does a girl have to be to get kicked out of Durmstrang? Maybe you could show me just how bad, yea?" Just remembering his suggestive words made her shudder and see red. He had just laughed with his fellow Slytherin boys, making her flustered enough to completely ruin her potion. She was excellent at potions! Of course, Professor Snape did nothing to penalize his students, but publically humiliated her. The nerve!

Ever since the potions incident, Malfoy had taken to tormenting her whenever found her alone, which was the majority of the time. He and his friends would follow her down the corridors, letting out whistles or other intelligent comments such as, "Nice arse, Durmstrang!" One of her fellow 6th years—a feisty red head, Ginny was it?—came to her defense once. After verbally abusing Malfoy and his gang, Ginny had put her arm around Katya's shoulders and comforted her by saying, "Slytherins are such jerks. Don't take it personally, it's just because you are a Gryffindor." That is how Katya learned her third lesson: Slytherins and Gryffindors hated each other, with almost no exceptions. At first she thought this rivalry was childish and petty, but it soon became evident to Katya why it was easy to dislike the Slytherins. A particularly snotty girl by the name of Millicent Bullstrode, who come to find out was also in Slytherin, had taken to starting nasty rumors as to why Katya no longer attended Durmstrang.

Katya had caught whispers in the corridors about some of these rumors, and they ranged from her performing terrible dark magic on first years to her sleeping with her professors! Katya was really trying to control her temper, but this week was putting a heavy strain on her self-control. She knew what tended to happen when she lost her temper, so she was doing her best to shrug it all off. Katya didn't mind that no one other than Ginny had really spoken to her, she was more of a loner after all, but she detested the way so many people ran their mouths about her. Also, she sure wished her nightmares would stop. She had casted a silencing charm around her bed every night, hoping none of the other girls would hear her screaming, but she could only hope it lasted all night. At least today was Friday, and she would soon have an entire weekend to recoup. Maybe by Monday, her novelty would wear off and people would forget to talk about her. Then she could fade into the background again.

As these thoughts were running through Katya's exhausted and emotionally stressed mind, Blaise Zabini, another one of her Slytherin tormentors, crept behind her and snapped her bra-strap loudly and ran ahead cackling. Katya saw red. Just as she was about to scream at Zabini, someone snuck up behind her and grabbed a full handful of her bum, pinching harshly. She jumped in shock and pain. Katya whipped around to face this blatant attack on her personal space, only to come face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was engulfed in riotous laughter. "Bet you enjoyed that one, huh Durmstrang," Draco spoke slyly¸ waggling his eyebrows at her.

This week had been too much, and this invasion of her body pushed Katya over the edge into the abyss of her rage. She was unable to control what happened next. Suddenly Draco Malfoy was slammed violently against the opposite wall of the corridor where he was pinned by an unseen force. The pictures in the corridor shook and some fell off the wall, breaking their frames. All of the classroom doors slammed open and the suits of armor were blown apart, their pieces clattering with a metal ring against the stone floor of the castle. "DO NOT TOUCH ME SNAKE!" shrieked Katya, completely out of control of herself. As quickly as the storm of her rage arose, so it died down. Draco Malfoy's limp body was released from the hold of Katya's magic, and he slumped to the corridor floor, shaking and paler than ever. As her vision returned to her, Katya noticed that a crowd of students from all of the houses had gathered around the scene. Her hands trembled as she noted the horror on the faces of her classmates. She assessed the damage she had wrought as Draco scrambled to his feet in terror and sprinted away.

"What in the name of Salazar Slytherin is all of the commotion here!" bellowed an angry, masculine voice.

Katya looked up to find a fuming and expectant Professor Snape. She trembled under his fiery glare. "I…..uh, well, I…." Katya mumbled, trying to find words to explain herself to her frightening professor.

"You did this? Fifty points from Gryffindor for disturbing classes and destruction of school property! And detention! Be at the dungeons at 10pm!" ordered Professor Snape. He then took out his wand and waved it over the scene, restoring pictures and armor to their proper location. He then turned on his heel and left in a billow dark cloak.

Katya did not know what to do, but thankfully a familiar looking girl grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from the scene. She allowed herself to be led blindly at first, her thoughts racing. _Oh no, they will kick me out for sure. I am uncontrollable! I always do this…ever since they…_

Her thoughts were interrupted when the girl pulling her arm stopped moving, turned and shook her. Katya really looked at this girl for the first time, noting her unruly brown curls. "I am Hermione Granger, Head Girl here at Hogwarts."

Katya nodded her head, not fully comprehending. Hermione turned and knocked on a door near a gargoyle. The door opened lead to a spiral staircase. "Where are you taking me?" Katya finally asked meekly.

"We are going to see the Headmistress!"

Katya's heart skipped a beat.


	3. Chapter 3: Magicafecta

Katya broke out into a cold sweat as Hermione pulled her by the arm up the dimly lit spiral staircase. Her heart was fluttering like a wild bird inside her ribcage and she felt light headed. After Hermione applied three firm knocks to the ornate door, McGonagall's sharp voice called out, "You may enter!"

McGonagall seated at her large mahogany desk, which was piled high with scattered papers and books. She looked up from her work to assess her visitors, peering at them over the tops of her spectacles. Her lips pressed together forming a thin line as she took note of Katya's pale, frightened appearance and Hermione's worried expression.

"Miss Granger, Miss Antonova, is there a problem of some sort?" questioned McGonagall.

Katya quickly dropped her eyes to look at her feet and began fiddling with her hands. Hermione took a step forward and cleared her throat nervously before speaking.

"Excuse our intrusion Headmistress, but there has been…. an incident. An incident that has lead me to believe that Katya is a…," Hermione hesitated. She finally sighed with exasperation before throwing her hands in the air and exclaiming, "I think that Katya is a _magicafectus_!"

Whatever reaction of surprise or shock Hermione was expecting from her Headmistress, she did not receive it. McGonagall simply sighed, rubbed her forehead and conjured two chairs in front of her desk for the girls. As they sat down, Katya's stomach tied itself in knots.

"Tell me Miss Granger," asked McGonagall wearily, "just where you learned of the _magicafectus_? We do not teach of them here."

"I read about them. When we were hunting Horcruxes. I was searching someone's home for food in a remote mountain village, and I came across a very interesting book about ancient magic and I…well, I took it," Hermione admitted, cheeks flushing with the shame of her theft. "We were in hiding for months! I just needed something new to read! But I learned all about the _magicafectus_. They are the descendants of exceptionally powerful ancient wizzarding tribes of Eastern Europe."

Katya sat resigned and quiet in her chair, staring blankly at the carpet, as Hermione rattled off information about her abomination.

"Their emotions and magic are tied together inextricably. At best, the _magicafectus _can control their emotions and use them, becoming some of the most powerful witches and wizards the world has ever known. At worst, they are volatile and…well, dangerous," Hermione spoke softly, glancing apologetically at Katya. "But, you don't seem surprised by this information."

"Miss Granger, clever as you are, did you think I would bring a student to Hogwarts without fully assessing their magical status? Now, will someone please tell me about the incident?" pressed McGonagall.

"I m-messed up H-headmistress," stuttered Katya. "I have been having problems with some of the Slytherin students, and today in the corridor I just lost my temper."

"I thought you were working on your self-control, my dear. Perhaps you have rethought my offer. A magical mentor would be of immense help, they could teach you how to control-"

"No!" Katya exclaimed, cutting off McGonagall. "Sorry. I just…I don't want one," pleaded Katya, fear tainting her voice.

"Well, I must say after what you did to Malfoy in the corridor today, I would agree with our Headmistress," Hermione chimed in cautiously.

At McGonagall's curious stare, Hermione launched into an animated recollection of the happenings in the corridor, right down to the detention Professor Snape had issued Katya. At the end of the tale, McGonagall paused to think for several minutes. When she finally spoke, it was with determination.

"Katya, I am sorry, but your outbursts are dangerous to those around you. If you don't learn to control yourself, I am afraid I will have to expel you. After your expulsion from Durmstrang, I do not think another school will take you if you are also expelled from Hogwarts. I do not wish to expel you, so I am insisting that you accept the help of a mentor!" exclaimed McGonagall with finality.

"But-"

"Do _not_ argue!" hissed McGonagall in frustration, and Katya could not bring herself to protest again.

McGonagall then addressed Hermione. "I do appreciate you trying to make me aware of a situation that you perceived as dangerous, but this is being handled. Katya is already being punished for her outburst by Professor Snape. As Head Girl, I trust you will keep this matter private, Hermione. It will do no good for the other students to learn of Katya's predicament."

Hermione nodded vigorously, "Of course Headmistress!"

"Katya, you will be getting a notification of your mentor assignment soon. Now, I want you two young ladies to head down to the Great Hall. It is almost time for dinner," directed McGonagall.

The two girls left the Headmistress's office together, but after descending the stairs Katya broke away from Hermione and headed toward Gryffindor tower. Hermione stopped and called out, "Katya! Aren't you hungry? Why are you not coming to dinner?"

Katya turned on Hermione with anger and hurt in her eyes. The air around Hermione began to buzz with the power of Katya's barely suppressed magic. In a dangerous sounding voice barely above a whisper Katya spat, "You dragged me to the Headmistress' office to sell me out! If you really thought you figured out something about me, perhaps you should have just talked to me about it! On top of detention with that wicked potions Professor, I now have to work with a magical mentor! Do you even know how emotionally demanding training for a _magicafectus _is, or how risky? My magic almost killed my last mentor!"

The angry accusation in Katya's voice was undermined by the panic she couldn't hide.

"I-I am so sorry Katya, I was only trying to help. I didn't realize," spoke Hermione softly, her voice laced with obvious regret. As Hermione approached Katya and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, the air quit humming. Katya's face lost its anger and she simply looked exhausted.

"Look Katya, if you have a 10 o'clock detention with Professor Snape, you'll need your strength. Please, just come to dinner with me? I am sorry I offended you, but maybe we could start over. I can even introduce you to some of my other friends," Hermione pressed lightly.

Katya, although she was drained from the events of this terrible day, couldn't ignore the rumbling in her belly or the apologetic and pleading look in Hermione's eyes. Her face broke into a small, forgiving smile and she said, "Okay Hermione. That doesn't sound too bad."

With that, the two girls headed to the Great Hall to have dinner before Katya's detention. Fortunately for her, Katya didn't know just what the harsh potion's master had in store.


	4. Chapter 4: Detention

Despite her looming detention with Professor Snape, dinner had actually been quite pleasant for Katya. The charmed ceiling of the Great Hall mirrored the clear, starry fall sky, the perfect backdrop to a fine dinner. Hogwarts had such a wide array of scrumptious foods to choose from, nothing like Durmstrang. The Gryffindors she met were all very friendly. Hermione formally introduced her to Ginny Weasley, the feisty redhead that had defended her against the Slytherins a few days ago, and Ginny's brother Ron, who had such a mouthful of food that Katya wondered how he didn't choke. It quickly became evident that Hermione and Ron were an item, as Hermione snuck him a quick peck on the cheek as she slide into the seat next to him. When Katya noticed who was sitting next to Ginny and holding her hand, she almost gasped in surprise. Harry Potter! She was surprised at how kind and humble Harry seemed, what with the way the papers had gone on about him. She met another couple, an awkward Gryffindor boy named Neville and a spacey looking blonde girl named Luna from Ravenclaw, both also very nice. Although Katya was shy and hesitant at first, by the end of the meal she had opened up and was enjoying lively conversation with those around her. Ginny asked her if she had known Victor Krum, and Katya's imitation of him, strutting around with a puffed-up chest and inflated ego, made the table roar with laughter. Her new friends regaled her with many hilarious tales of their past antics at Hogwarts. When Ron told the story of Hermione punching Draco Malfoy in the face, Katya laughed so hard she almost spit out her pumpkin juice. Hermione just blushed and muttered, "Well, the ferret had it coming." _Maybe this place won't be so bad after all,_ Katya thought to herself.

After they all finished their dinner, the happy group departed the Great Hall and headed towards the Gryffindor common room. Katya spoke the password to the Fat Lady and they all climbed through the entryway. Luna joined Neville and Hermione for some studying. Ron quickly took up a game of wizard's chess with Harry in front of the fireplace; Katya had declined Harry's offer to play since she had some homework to do before her detention. She and Ginny flopped down on a couch near the fireplace after getting their books and began diligently studying. Ginny had informed Katya that this week end was a Hogsmeade weekend. Katya had never heard of Hogsmeade before, but it sounded like it could be fun.

Katya loved education, especially when it came to potions, but tonight she had some reading to do for her advanced defense against the dark arts class. That Professor Lamont sure assigned a heavy load of reading. As cracked open her book and began to read about protective measures against cursed objects, Katya became enthralled and lost track of the time. She was just getting to the part in her book about cursed amulets when Ginny's anxious voice pulled her suddenly from her studies.

"Katya! Its ten minutes to 10! Your detention!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Oh no!" gasped Katya, her blue eyes widening as she looked at the clock. "I have to go!" She quickly gathered her things and fled up the stairs in a whirlwind of text books and robes. Once she got to her school trunk, she flung off her robes and hurried into a pair of faded blue jeans and a crimson colored cotton t-shirt. Katya was no stranger to detentions, her magical outbursts had seen to that. Her two muggle-born friends at Durmstrang had introduced her to muggle clothing. It was far more practical than robes for the dirty, menial tasks professors loved to assign in detention. She tied her long, dark hair back into a messy ponytail and dashed back down the stairs. Katya practically flew out of the common room, her new friends' voices ringing out behind her, wishing her luck.

As she stampeded through corridors and down stairways, she couldn't help but wish the dungeons were closer. She was going to be late! Even though she ran as fast as she could, Katya arrived outside of Professor Snape's office in the dungeons at 10:05 pm, her legs burning and panting for air. She knocked hesitantly on Snape's door. She heard his footsteps as he approached the door and flung it open and stepped out into the hall. Katya was now face to face with her very angry potions professor. He towered intimidatingly over her and his stormy eyes quickly assessed her appearance before he hissed, "You're late!"

"I am so sorry professor," gasped Katya, still out of breath. "I lost track of the time!"

"No excuses," countered Snape with a growl. "If you know what is best for you, it will not happen again. Now, follow me."

Katya trailed meekly behind Snape, his dark robes billowing out behind him. He led her on a winding pathway through the damp, dimly lit hallways of the dungeons. Goosebumps rose up on Katya's pale flesh as the air surrounding her grew colder and colder the deeper they descended into the castle. Finally, Snape turned one last corner and unlocked a small, discrete wooden door.

"This is my private potions lab, and its location is to remain unknown to the rest of the student population. Understood?"

Katya nodded in understanding. She entered the room behind Snape and took in a sharp breath when she saw its contents. There was shelf after shelf lining three of the walls of this rectangular room, each filled with innumerable glass containers of various potions materials. These containers were perfectly ordered in neat labeled rows. Katya didn't have to look long to realize that some of these materials were exceptionally rare and expensive. Along the back wall stood every size cauldron imaginable neatly stacked by the type of metal they were wrought from. On the same wall there hung hundreds of shiny new tools: small hammers for cracking the shells of certain nuts, sharp blades of all sizes, droppers for exact measurements of fluids, and so much more.

"If you are done gawking like a fool, kindly follow me," Snape's harsh voice pierced through her amazement.

Katya blushed in embarrassment and moved to the far corner of the room where Snape had walked while she stood still, transfixed by all that surrounded her. Snape sat down at a simple yet comfortable looking desk.

"Now, Miss Antonova, Headmistress McGonagall tells me you have some skill in potions. Apparently, you scored so high on your potions aptitude test when you transferred here that you could technically abstain from taking further classes in this field of study," Snape said with a disbelieving tone. "I would not have guessed this much from your performance on the first day of class, so I think it wise that you have decided to continue lessons."

Snape smirked as anger flashed across Katya's vivid blue eyes. She bit her tongue and said nothing.

"However, I am already swamped with all of the grading for the ridiculous amount of nitwitted first years I am responsible for this year. I have fallen behind in the needed medical potions for the Hospital Wing, and you'll be helping me catch up. Normally I would have students perform much more punishing tasks for detention, but since it appears you have some small talent, I might as well not waste that on scrubbing cauldrons or grinding dried salamander innards. Now, I trust you can remember how to create simple medical potions? Poppy is low on calming draught, migraine potion and dreamless sleep potion," Snape drawled in an almost bored tone.

Katya tried to calm herself before speaking, but she still sounded offended when she replied, "Of course I can remember how to make those, I've known how for years!"

Snape raised his eyebrows at the anger in her voice and retorted, "Well then, I suggest you get to it. I need one large cauldron of each potion finished before you leave tonight, so there is no time for screw ups. The potions then need to be bottled in those vials and individually labeled. If you can't find the materials you need in this room, you have no business near a cauldron. I will be here grading papers, so do not interrupt me. After all, you've _done this for years _so you should need no assistance." Snape sneered at Katya before conjuring a stack of essays to grade.

Katya let out a long, loud sigh as she faced the shelves of materials. This would be a long night. Although these potions were relatively simple, it would require some thought to time them correctly while making all three of them at once. It took her almost a half an hour to simply locate all of the necessary materials and prepare them. She than retrieved three appropriately sized cauldrons from the back wall, lit fires beneath them with her wand, and began her work.

Snape took breaks from his grading periodically to watch Katya out of the corner of his eye. He had a hard time focusing on the task at hand. Every time he looked at a student's essay, images of her as she arrived outside of his office surfaced. Her dark hair was pulled back, but soft tendrils had worked their way out of her ponytail to frame her face. Her smooth, alabaster skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat and her ample chest heaved delectably as she gasped for air. Those muggle clothes she wore did little to hide the figure underneath, and Snape could tell she had a fit, lithe body. He shook his head, trying to clear away the inappropriate thoughts he was having. He looked up at Katya once more, just as she was bending over a steaming cauldron. His cock twitched in his trousers as he was afforded a perfect view of her shapely arse. _Merlin, what I would do to her,_ Snape thought as lust pervaded his mind. He shook his head again. _Damn it, get ahold of yourself. It has been too long since you've had a good fuck, _Snape told himself as he tried once again to focus on grading.

As Snape scratched away with a quill, Katya worked vigorously in silence. At first she felt awkward being alone with a man she feared in a practically hidden room in the dungeons, but soon she was too distracted by her potions to care. Katya loved the art of potion making, and she focused on nothing else as she threw ingredients together in the flawless order, stirring with textbook technique. The calming draught she was working on hissed deliciously as she added the final ingredient, simmering to perfection. She was quite efficient and she finished all three potions just before 1 am. After Snape grudgingly approved of the potions' quality, Katya properly bottled and labeled them.

She was downright exhausted after all of the ordeals of the day, and as she exited Snape's private potions lab, Katya halted. She could not for the life of her remember the way out of this maze of hallways. Snape looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Lost are we?"

"I—uh, well…," Katya stammered as she looked around.

Snape let out a weary sigh. "Follow me Miss Antonova; I will lead you back to Gryffindor tower."

And so Katya's night ended with a stroll through dark castle, a steely and silent Professor Snape at her side. When she was finally free of his nerve-wracking presence, Katya collapsed on her bed and fell asleep, failing to even remove her clothes.


	5. Chapter 5: McGonagall's Mission

I probably should have included this earlier, but I guess I didn't think too: I do not own Harry Potter. Also, although I haven't included a lot of sexual content so far, this story is rated M for a reason (such as this chapter ) so just be aware.

Thanks to my two reviewers, I am glad you like the story so far! I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter, and if you feel so inclined, I would love to read your reviews. 3

Severus Snape awoke with a start late that next morning. His bedside clock read 10:14 a.m., an unheard of hour for the potions professor to still be in bed. Thank gods it was Saturday. Snape threw off his covers and looked down at his rock-hard morning erection as it's strained against the material of his green boxers. His dick pulsed as he remembered the dream he was just having.

_A certain blue-eyed, porcelain-skinned Gryffindor was pressed face-first against a corridor wall, arms held tightly above her head with one of his strong hands. He was fucking her into oblivion from behind, her school skirt hiked up around her slim waist exposing her perfect ass. He wove his free hand tightly into her hair and tugged her head back roughly. His cock was shiny and slick with her wetness as he pounded into her. Loud moans of "Yes…Severus…fuck yessss…" echoed against the stone walls…_

As he continued to dwell on his erotic dream of Katya, his erection twitched again, becoming almost painfully hard. He had to do something about this! He strode to his bathroom, and jumped into the shower. As he let the hot water cascade down the toned planes of his back and chest he braced his body against the wall with his left forearm. He moaned as he firmly grasped his throbbing shaft in his right hand and began to pump up and down its entire length. Severus let his fingers tease the sensitive head. He closed his eyes, picturing Katya's mouth wrapped around his dick while she looked up at him with lust-clouded sapphire eyes. His breath grew ragged and his hips began to buck, driving his pulsing cock harder into his hand. Severus felt his balls tighten as his orgasm approached. His last coherent thought was of blowing his load into Katya's warm mouth and this pushed him over the edge. He let out an animalistic grunt as he thrust into his hand one last time, hot, sticky cum spurting out of his cock and into the shower.

Severus finished his shower, feeling a little guilty that he had just gotten off thinking about one of his students, especially one who wasn't even of age. However, it was so bloody hot he couldn't really regret it, but he probably shouldn't make a habit of it. _You really need to get laid, _thought Snape as he dressed. The last thing he needed was for these wanton sexual dreams of Katya to become a regular occurrence. Snape checked his clock one more time, noting that he had fifteen minutes to get to the Headmistress' office for the 11 o'clock meeting she had requested with him. What she could possibly want on a Saturday, he couldn't fathom, but he hoped it would be quick. He had to make a supply hunt in the Forbidden Forest this afternoon, on top of all of the grading he still had to finish.

When he arrived at the gargoyle that guarded McGonagall's office, he spoke the password "snowcaps" and was granted access to the spiral stairwell. He only had to rap on the door once before it opened. He greeted McGonagall curtly. He sank into a chair in front of the large wooden desk while she conjured two cups of piping hot tea. Severus blew on his tea lightly before taking a sip, then addressed the Headmistress.

"You needed to see me for something urgent?"

"Yes Severus. I have found you the perfect potions assistant."

"This is what you consider an urgent matter? Forgive me," Snape's voice dripped with condescension, "but I don't see why this couldn't have possibly waited until Monday."

McGonagall gave him a stern look over her spectacles. She was not nearly as tolerant of his attitude as Dumbledore had been.

"Well forgive _me,_ but there is more to the situation than that."

At this admission, Snape just raised a questioning eyebrow. McGonagall continued.

"Now I understand that you are familiar with the_ magicafectus, _include the magical theory behind training one of them?"

"This is true. The _magicafectus_ were of particular interest to the Dark Lord at one point in time. He appointed me to hunt them down, coerce them to join his side and then to learn how to train the inexperienced. Given the extent of their powers, this proved quite difficult. I did spend a bit of time with a small tribe of them, and I suppose I know as much as any textbook on the matter." Snape's eyes then narrowed in suspicion. "But given that they are so rare, I am once again curious as to how this constitutes an emergent situation."

"Well, Severus, it appears your spy-like powers of observation have failed you. Just what do you think happened to Mr. Malfoy in that corridor yesterday? I had assumed since you were the one who punished Katya for the incident, you would have surely figured it out."

Snape's eyes grew wide as realization dawned on his angular face. Why had he not seen it before? Katya did not have her wand out and she was exceptionally emotional when she attacked Malfoy. Surely the incident was an impressive display of power for a 16 year old witch. Stupid! That's what he was, for he had failed to put the pieces together on this one.

"Wait. So Katya is a _magicafectus_. I still fail to see why this needs to involve me," stated Snape, hoping he was wrong about why McGonagall had called this meeting.

"I should think it obvious Severus. I want you to mentor the girl."

"What! Why would I do that? _Magicafectus _can be exceptionally difficult to train, not to mention unpredictable and dangerous! I haven't got the time for that anyways, considering the insane number of first years crawling all over this place!" Severus raged, his voice raising several octaves. He wasn't even going to mention that he had just had a ridiculously hot sexual fantasy about the girl and therefore felt the need to avoid her.

"Oh hush, Severus! You are acting like a spoiled child! You are the only staff member who possesses the knowledge and the skills to train Katya. And you are right about her being dangerous, as Mr. Malfoy can most certainly attest. She needs to learn to control herself and you are the only reasonable choice. Now, what would Dumbledore say if he knew you wanted to leave a young witch to suffer at the hands of her own wild magic?"

Snape's face drained of color at the mention of his old mentor's name. His voice came out in a hiss, "How _dare_ you mention Dumbledore to me!"

"You know he would want you to say yes. Not only for Katya, but also for you. You spend all of your time skulking in the dungeons or terrorizing students. It would do you good to have some semblance of normal human interaction on a regular basis."

"I am a grown man, Minerva, and I can take care of myself!"

"You will do this," McGonagall insisted, daring him to defy her.

"And if I say no?"

"Oh, I think we both know that Professors do not deny direct requests from the Headmistress. Not if they want to keep their jobs that is," McGonagall threatened.

Snape gasped angrily, stammered, and then shut his mouth. Although he did not care for any of the people, Hogwarts was the only home he had left. It was where he was completing his life's work, where all of his years of potions research had led to countless discoveries. He couldn't leave; he wouldn't even know where to go.

"Fine! I will mentor the little Gryffindor _magicafectus_. But if she blows me up or dismembers me, it will be on your conscience!"

"Severus, I really never knew you could be so _dramatic_. She really is a bright girl, she will learn quickly. Now I expect you to contact her Monday in order to set up training sessions twice a week. I am assuming you have something to go busy yourself with now."

At this, Snape rose from his chair and slammed his half full cup of tea on McGonagall's desk, sloshing the dark fluid over the side of the dish. "I most certainly do!" Snape turned to storm away but stopped as he reached the office door. He paused with his fingers on the handle and sighed. Without turning around, he asked in a resigned voice, "And my assistant?" He asked as if he already knew the answer.

"Well, since you will be spending so much extra time together, and she has already demonstrated her potions skills to you in detention, don't you think Katya would make a natural choice?" said McGonagall, confirming Snape's fear.

Severus just sighed loudly once more before exiting the office. He slammed the door behind him, rattling the pictures on the wall much to the loudly vocalized displeasure of the previous Hogwarts headmasters.

McGonagall just shook her head at Severus' petty display of temper and returned to her piles of work.


	6. Ch 6: Hogsmeade and Hermione's Question

Professor Snape stormed out of the Headmistress' office and down the spiral staircase. As he rapidly turned the corner, he violently and unexpectedly collided with someone, lost his balance and fell forward. He ended up on the cold stone floor in a haphazard tangle of robes and limbs, his body pinning another person down. After muttering a few choice words, Snape finally noticed who he had landed on. Katya look up at him from the floor, her blue eyes wide in horror and her soft breath ghosting across his face. She had been rushing on her way out of the castle for her first Hogsmeade trip with her new friends. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna stood encircling the pair, the same expression of dread on their faces.

Snape was on his feet in an instant, awkwardly straightening his dark robes, his normally pale and statuesque face a crimson red. "Miss Antonova!" bellowed Snape, not even trying to check his rage. "I suggest that you watch where you are going! If you are going to be my assistant, you can't be such a lumbering oaf!"

Katya still lay on the floor, and her face went from alabaster to red in an instant. The air around her began to hum with the force of her anger. "Excuse me? You ran into me! How dare…wait. What did you say?"

"Did McGonagall not tell you? Apparently, I get the pleasure of working with a total bumbling klutz this year," Snape's voice dripped with sarcasm. "But I really do not have time for this at the moment. Meet me in my office an hour before classes begin on Monday, we can discuss this further."

With that, Snape turned and headed outside. He needed to get to the Forbidden Forest to collect some ingredients he was low on, and he thoroughly hated being held up, first by McGonagall and then by that gaggle of pathetic students. At this rate, he would be lucky if he even found everything before sunset.

As Snape rushed off at a dizzying speed, Harry leaned over to pull a stunned Katya back onto her feet.

"What the hell was that?" spat Katya.

"Don't worry Katya, Snape is a total git to everyone," said Ron sympathetically.

"Oh I know that. I meant about me being his assistant," replied Katya, a befuddled expression on her face. She began heading for the door to the castle, still very excited about seeing Hogsmeade for the first time.

"Didn't you hear?" asked Hermione. "Maybe I just know because I am Head Girl, but the professors are all feeling very overloaded due to the heavy load of first years they have taken on. McGonagall has been assigning them assistants to help with the burden. Katya, you must be excellent at potions, I didn't know that!"

"Well, yea, I guess I am pretty goo—wait! Does this mean I have to actually spend time outside of class with that man?"

Her friends just looked at her sympathetically as Hermione patted her back. They understood better than just about anyone how unpleasant the snarky potions professor could be. Even winning the war had done little to improve his demeanor.

"Well, let's just have a great time today, take your mind off things," piped Ginny. "You'll love Hogsmeade!"

This lightened the mood of the group, and they joined once again in happy chatter. The walk to Hogsmeade was really quite pleasant. It felt amazing to Katya to be outside and stretching her legs after a long week of being cooped up in the castle. It was still early autumn and the sun was shining brightly in an azure sky. The air was light and fresh with just a hint of the chill that would soon descend on Hogwarts full force. As their feet marched across the grounds, Katya noticed that the grass was still a deep green.

In what felt like no time at all, the group had reached Hogsmeade. Katya was overwhelmed, for they had nothing like this near Durmstrang! The little village was so quaint. Throngs of Hogwarts students milled about, checking out the shops that lined the main road, High Street. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the break from school by engaging in all the distractions the village had to offer.

"We simply must go to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop! I can't find quills like those anywhere!" gushed Hermione in excitement.

The others politely nodded, although they could all think of more entertaining possibilities for their first stop. After Hermione had spent twenty minutes mulling over whether she should buy another pheasant quill or swan quill, Ginny resorted to physical force and dragged her out the front door, Hermione looking longingly over her shoulder at the full shelves of ink and quills. There were just so many beautiful feathers!

Ron insisted they go to Honeydukes. Katya was overwhelmed by the delectable spread of treats; they had all of her favorites! Needless to say, when they left the sweets shop she was feeling quite the sugar high. Katya shot curious glances through the windows when they passed Madam Puddifoot's, catching glimpses of couples snogging and holding hands. Ginny told her she'd have to find herself an "eligible hottie" if she wanted to go in there. Ginny then winked slyly, making Katya blush and everyone else chuckle. The group of Gryffindors and their Ravenclaw friend spent the entire afternoon traipsing around Hogsmeade, laughing, shopping, eating and enjoying each other's company. Katya took in all of the new smells, sights and sounds that surrounded her, thoroughly enjoying herself. She had spent time in Wizarding villages of course, but never on her own with friends. Their visit to the Shrieking Shack had been particularly interesting, as Harry, Ron and Hermione regaled her with their tale of actually entering the eerie building in their third year.

When they were all worn out from their day of fun, Neville suggested they swing by the Three Broomsticks to grab some butterbeers before heading back to the castle. The pub was cozy and quite packed. Madam Rosmerta wiggled her way through the crowd of lively students to the table where Katya sat with her friends. She quickly began taking orders, but when she got to Ron all he could do was grunt, "Uh-huh" with a glazed look in his eyes. This earned him a terse "Ronald!" and a sharp slap on the shoulder from a miffed Hermione, along with uproarious laughter from all who witnessed the exchange. Katya couldn't blame Ron for gawking; Madam Rosmerta seemed very charming after all. Several butterbeers later, Katya's cheeks felt warm and her limbs began to feel heavy. She felt she had never laughed so easily in her life!

After pointing out how late it had gotten, Harry suggested they head back up to the castle before it started to get dark. The group began the short trek back to Hogwarts, the sun beginning to sink along the wooded horizon. Katya quickly began dropping to the back. Her legs felt sluggish and she was so tired! Soon, Hermione was at her side, allowing a small distance to separate the pair from the rest of their friends. Katya got the feeling Hermione wanted to talk about something, so she lagged even further behind so they would be out of easy earshot. She began to feel an awkwardness between them as Hermione fiddled with the straps on her satchel. Finally, Hermione cleared her throat and began to speak.

"So…did you have fun today?"

"Oh yes!" replied Katya enthusiastically. "I can't remember the last time I had that much fun."

"Good, good." Hermione paused before continuing, obviously hesitant to bring up what was on her mind. "Look, I don't mean to pry, but Ginny mentioned something to me. She woke up several times last night because she heard you screaming in your sleep. I, uh…just wanted to make sure everything was okay, what with how stressed you have been this week."

_Oh shit! I was so tired after detention I must have forgot to cast my silencing charms! Oh no, no no…what did I say? How could I have been so careless? _Katya's mind raced, all color draining from her face.

"Katya, are you okay? Sorry, Ginny didn't mean to be intrusive, she was just really worried. She said you sounded terrified, but she didn't know if she should wake you since you were up so late at detention."

"Oh…yea," Katya shook off her stupor of fear. "I am fine. Um, did Ginny say anything else?" she asked, afraid of Hermione's answer.

"Well, not really. She just said you screamed a lot and that there was a lot of 'No, no, no, no!' in there. Are you sure you're alright? You can talk to me if you need to."

"Thanks Hermione, but really I am fine," Katya promised in relief. Ginny hadn't overheard anything important. She vowed to never forget her silencing charm again.

"Ginny did mention one more thing…can I ask who Luka is?" asked Hermione softly, glancing at Katya with tentative eyes.

Katya's breath stuck in her chest at the verbalization of her little brother's name. She remembered his vivid blue eyes, mirrors of her own, and his adorable crooked smile and her heart broke. She had not heard his name spoken since his funeral almost a year ago…she shook her head violently to clear away the memories that had begun to encroach on her consciousness, pushing them back into the recesses where they belonged. Luka was gone. Forever. And it was her fault….her and her stupid magic.

"He is-," Katya's voice broke, her throat constricting with raw emotion. Katya inhaled and exhaled deeply, steadying her voice and willing it to come out stronger. "He _was_ my little brother. He passed away ten months ago." Although she tried to control herself, Katya's eyes began to mist over.

Hermione realized the affect this conversation was having on her new friend and quickly wrapped a comforting arm around Katya's small shoulders.

"I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about this right now. Perhaps another time…if you feel like talking that is. I know we just started getting close, but Ginny and I will be there if ever you need us."

Hermione's voice harbored the familiar sympathy that Katya so despised. Katya dreaded this reaction. She did not deserve people's sympathy or kindness! If they knew everything she had done, and how in the end she had still failed to save Luka, they would see her how she really was. Where would their sympathy be then? Katya steeled herself against the onslaught of self-loathing that rose up like bile in her throat. She felt guilt at memory of the beautiful and carefree day she had just spent with her friends. _No Katya, stop it…Mum, Dad, Luka, they would want you to live, to be happy. Even if you don't deserve it, keep trying for them._

"Katya?" Hermione's concerned voice once again battered its way through her stormy thoughts.

"I'm fine Hermione, really. Thank you," Katya mumbled, her voice quiet and lacking expression.

Katya quickened her steps and Hermione met her stride for stride. They moved forward in heavy silence and quickly overtook Luna and the other Gryffindors.

"Katya, Hermione! What were you doing back there? Did you come across a nargle?" asked Luna, her dreamy eyes growing wide with excitement.

"No Luna, nothing like that. Just taking it slow and having some girl talk," answered Hermione quickly.

Hermione really had a new appreciation for Luna the more time she had spent around her, but she still easily tired of mythical magical creature discussions.

Ron and Ginny bantered playfully back and forth about the up and coming quidditch season, Neville interjecting an occasional arrogant comment about how Gryffindor would own the Slytherin team this year. Hermione had to admit, Luna was very good for Neville so far. He was much less shy than he used to be. It was as if Luna's newfound affection somehow gave him the strength to be himself. That and fighting in the war…that had most certainly toughened Neville up. What a long year it had been, and they had all changed so much, endured so much.

Hermione and Katya remained quite all the way back to Gryffindor tower, where they all bid Luna good night. As it was Saturday night, the common room was pretty full of students playing games and hanging out. The group plopped wearily onto the sofa and chairs surrounding the roaring fire. After a few moments of rest, Ron took out the bag of goodies he had purchased at Zonko's Joke Shop and began impressing some random first years with the bag of tricks. Harry and Ginny decided to play a game of cards. Apparently Harry was trying to teach her muggle games. Katya knew how to play many muggle card games since her family had been very close to many muggle-born and half-blooded witches and wizards, but Katya declined to join them. She was so very exhausted, mentally and physically, and decided she would turn in early. As she headed up the stairs to the girl's dormitory, Katya passed Hermione who was deeply absorbed in knitting what looked to be a misshapen hat of some kind.

When Katya was finally in her night clothes with the bed curtains drawn and the silencing charm strongly in place, she finally crawled under the covers. She lay flat on her back and closed her eyes, waiting for the nightly horrors to begin playing in her mind.


	7. Chapter 7: Lazy Sundays

Katya awoke on Sunday morning to warm, golden sunlight peeking between a small crack in her bed drapes, softly beckoning her well-rested body to rise and meet the day. She stretched and let out a large yawn. When she rolled to her right to look at her clock, she started. It was one o'clock in the afternoon! Nightmares had woken her many times last night, so her body must have decided she was in major need of rest.Katya never slept this late, but she couldn't deny how good it felt. Feeling refreshed, Katya freed herself from the tangle of blankets and sprung out of bed.

After showering, she pulled a sky blue t-shirt over her head and slipped into her favorite pair of faded jeans. She swept her rich dark hair out of her face and into a high pony tail. She felt wonderfully comfortable, perfect for a lazy Sunday of catching up on homework. Between the new DADA professor and Snape, there were plenty of assignments to keep her occupied, not to mention her new _potions assistant_ position. That was sure to consume a decent chunk of her free time.

Katya's stomach let out a vicious growl, harshly reminding her that she had not eaten since Hogsmeade the day before. None of the other girls were in the dormitory, so Katya strode down the winding staircase and entered the almost empty common room. She sighed in relief when she saw Hermione and Ginny sitting near a large window, apparently studying. Hermione chewed her pencil, deep in concentration while Ginny absentmindedly twirled a lock of her fiery hair around her finger as she stared out the winding. Through the window behind the studying pair, Katya could see that it was going to be another perfect fall day.

"Hey guys!"

Ginny and Hermione's heads snapped up and swiveled in Katya's direction, excited recognition brightening their eyes when they caught sight of her.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Ginny teased playfully.

"Yea, I can't believe I slept that late. I am starving! You two look like you could use a break, want to go to the Great Hall and get lunch?"

"We were just talking about how hungry we were," replied Hermione. "And it is so beautiful out! How about we take our books, get some lunch, and study down by the lake? We won't get many more days like this one."

"There's a reason you're known as the most brilliant witch of our age, Hermione." Ginny eagerly rose from her chair. "Harry and Ron are out practicing at the Quidditch pitch, but I didn't feel like it today."

With the days plans set out, the trio collected their schoolwork and sauntered towards the Great Hall.

Severus Snape could not believe his awful luck. The Forbidden Forest could be dangerous and unpredictable of course, but who would have thought he, of all people, would get lost? His hunt for potions ingredients had begun much later than anticipated and his thoughts had been deeply preoccupied by the conversation he had had with Minerva, distracting him from his search, making him terribly inefficient. How unlike him! He paid little direction to how far off the trail he had wandered and he hadn't even noticed that the sun was sinking lower and lower behind the tall trees. Before he knew it, twilight had descended on him, sparking the tiniest flutter of panic. He had maintained his composure and set out for the trail, only he had been completely unable to locate it. After wandering through the darkening forest for roughly an hour, Severus was completely enveloped by the night.

Even a lit wand would do little to alert him of the horrors that traversed the Forbidden Forest at night, so Snape used his better judgment. He had pulled a small tent and sleeping bag out of his charmed pack, set up camp and surrounded himself with protective wards. Spending the night in the forest was thoroughly miserable. Even though he lit a fire, the fall chill seeped through the rock hard earth deep into his bones, making sleep near impossible. The incessant howling and curious screams of the wildlife did not encourage slumber either. After what seemed an eternity, rays of sunlight began to break through the forest's canopy.

Severus had pried his aching, stiff body off the freezing ground and packed up camp. With the sun revealing the landscape around him, Snape was quickly able to identify familiar landmarks and make his way back to the trail. Once he was safely back inside his castle chambers, he gulped down several mugs of hot tea, not caring that he was scorching his throat, only relishing in the warmth that wove its way through his body. He then thoroughly enjoyed a steaming shower before passing out in his bed for the entirety of the day.

Katya, Ginny and Hermione had a rather enjoyable day near the lake, soaking up the last warm rays of the season while studying and talking. Katya felt she was getting quite close to these girls, and she knew it wouldn't be long before they started to ask questions—questions about her previous life, her nightmares, and exactly how she ended up at Hogwarts. She wondered if she shouldn't distance herself now, before things became complicated. Surely they wouldn't want to be her friends after they learned of her past. Perhaps it would be better, safer, if she closed herself off now. It had been so long since Katya had felt close to another person, since before her family had died. Her heart longed for connection, and as much as she wished she could deny it, she so strongly desired to be wanted again. Her intuition told her she could trust these girls, and her reason told her to back off.

When the trio returned to the common room around 7 pm, they found Harry and Ron playing chess at a table near a window.

"If you two studied half as much as you played around, maybe I wouldn't have to help you so much," scolded Hermione half-heartedly with smile on her face. She ruffled Ron's red hair and planted a sweet peck on his cheek. The girls sat down at a table near the boys and Ginny summoned a house elf to bring them all some hot cocoa, with the utmost gratitude of course. A few minutes later, a sudden clacking against the window made them all jump. A small tan owl was battering itself wildly against the glass to gain their attention. Harry let in the frantic owl, taking the small white envelope from it before it darted back out the still open window. The crew huddled around Harry curiously.

"Katya, I think this is for you," declared Harry upon examining the writing on the front.

Katya was surprised, but took the envelope from Harry and tore it open. Her eyes grew wide as she read it first once, then a second time. The color ran from her cheeks, leaving her looking as if she might faint. She abruptly sat down without saying anything.

"Katya, what is it?" asked Ginny with worry in her voice.

"It's nothing. Just about my assistantship for Snape, I had forgotten about that for a moment," Katya lied. She made a show of stretching and yawning widely. "I am really tired guys; I am going to go to bed."

"Are you sure you're okay," pressed Hermione.

"Sure, sure. I am fine, really. Just tired. Goodnight!"

Katya turned from her friends' quizzical stares and practically flew up the stairs to her dorm, where she flung herself onto her bed in pure exasperation, the letter floating down beside her. In McGonagall's elegant, looping script, the letter announced her mentor assignment …._Professor Snape._

When Severus had woken back up at around 9 pm, he felt groggy and sore. What a vile waste of a day! Fortunately he would soon have an assistant to help him with the mountains of grading and stock potions he was behind on. Maybe he would even have time to continue his research…yes, perhaps having Katya as an assistant wouldn't be entirely unbearable. She had seemed fairly competent in basic potion making, after all.

Severus Snape reignited the fire in his hearth and began working on his potions grading, calling a house elf to bring him dinner from the kitchens. He would have no time to make it to dinner, not that he desired the company of his fellow professors. He was especially thrilled with avoiding Sybil. Minerva had not been lying, Sybil had developed an unreciprocated infatuation with the potions master, and he dodged her every chance he could. After making it through the sixth years' essays on the potion making properties of unicorn hair, he moved on to the first years' weekly essay. He continued grading late into the night.

When he was finally mostly caught up, Snape pushed himself away from his desk and moved wearily to the plush armchair near his fireplace. He snapped his fingers to conjure a large bottle of fire whiskey and a dense shot glass. After tossing back several shots, he no longer felt the burn in his throat. Snape watched the flames as they lapped at the wood, slowly turning it to ash. _Much like life_, he pondered. Didn't people start out like wood, strong and supple, only to have life burn them to charred, ashy remnants of their former selves?

He reached almost automatically to the sturdy oak side table next to his chair, opening the door and pulling out a small, worn photo album. Its pages held his most cherished memories, bitter reminders of what he had lost. As he turned the familiar pages, Lily's smiling face shone up at him. Even he couldn't figure out why he tortured himself this way, he only knew he would love her forever. Now that his purpose had been served, and Lily's death had been avenged, Severus was lost. Other than his research, he lacked direction or passion for his life. All he had now was haunting memories of his past….regrets, should-haves, and horrific memories. The hurt in Lily's eyes as he called her a mudblood…Dumbledore's limp body plummeting from the astronomy tower on that fateful night…all the crimes he had committed as a spy for the Order…it felt too much at times. Like the darkness within his mind would swallow him entirely, and he half-way welcomed the abyss for it was all he felt he deserved. Snape took another shot as he stared into the dancing flames.


	8. Chapter 8: Meetings and Mentors

Katya sat in a nearly deserted Great Hall, accompanied only by a small scattering of other red-eyed, disheveled and groggy looking students. _Godric only knows why these poor souls are in the Great Hall at this hour, but I doubt their reasons are as bloody terrible as mine_, Katya thought miserably. She was usually a morning person, but this hour simply felt too early after the restless night she had spent tossing and turning. She just couldn't stop mulling over how much time she would be forced to spend with the surly potions master. And he would have to be her _mentor._ The word made Katya's brow furrow in anxiety.

Now she found herself slouched at a long table, sleep deprived and alone, trying to choke down some food before making her way to the dungeons for her dreaded meeting with Professor Snape. With an exasperated sigh, Katya pushed away the remnants of her unwanted breakfast, slung her bag over her shoulder and left the Great Hall. She had no desire to endure any more of Snape's unforgiving, wicked tongue, so she _would not_ be late for their encounter this time.

As she made her way unwillingly through the virtually abandoned corridors towards the dungeons, a familiar chill crept over her skin as the air around her once again grew colder. Her thorough lack of enthusiasm was evident on her tired face. Her feet made shuffling noises as she dragged them along, forcing herself to make her way to Snape's office.

Once she had finally arrived, Katya rapped lightly on the heavy wooden door and rocked back on her heels, waiting anxiously. She only had to wait for a few seconds when the door was whipped open by a very unkempt looking Severus Snape. Katya's azure eyes scanned her professor from head to toe, taking in his disheveled appearance. His black robes were heavily wrinkled, looking like they had been slept in. His skin was pasty and raven hair was sticking out in messy tufts all about his head. Katya's eyes locked with his, and she took a step back. Although they were bloodshot and heavily rimmed with dark circles, his onyx orbs bore into hers with open agitation.

"Miss Antonova! Must you incessantly gawk like a dunderheaded Hufflepuff?" Snape bit out in a severe tone.

"Sorry Professor, you just…don't look so good," mumbled Katya. She immediately regretted saying anything as a cloud of anger passed over Snape's face.

"Well, if you are done appraising my appearance, get inside and take a seat!" he snapped.

Katya quickly stepped through the door that Snape was impatiently holding open. As she squeezed past him, their bodies brushed lightly together and he visibly stiffened at the contact. A strange sent assailed her nostrils, some odd mixture of ink, parchment and…liquor? She didn't dare question this strange state she had found him in, so she continued past him into the room.

Although it lacked windows, his office was quite spacious. A rather large fireplace was tucked into the back wall. The flames from the hearth cast dancing light onto the walls, revealing even more bookshelves filled with ancient looking tombs. A finely crafted antique desk sat near the fireplace. Katya's feet carried her silently over the smooth stone floor. As she settled herself gracefully into a comfortable green armchair in front of Snape's desk, she couldn't help but be taken aback by the coziness of the room. It seemed a stark contrast to the bristling man who sank into the seat across from her.

Snape rested his head in his hands, massaging his throbbing temples with his fingers. He had indeed fallen asleep by the fire last night and awoken just in time for the meeting with Katya. He hadn't even had time to change out of his dirty robes from the day before. His vision felt blurred from fatigue so he closed his eyes for a moment. The pounding in his head was an aching reminder of the fact that he had finished three-quarters of his bottle of fire whisky in one sitting. Snape sucked in a deep, haggard breath and let it out slowly before snapping his fingers to summon a house elf.

There was a distinct pop as a petite elf wearing a ratty sack appeared between them. Snape simply muttered the words, "tea…strong tea" through his hands, which remained cradling his head until the house elf promptly returned with two steaming mugs. The elf was gone as abruptly has he had arrived. Katya remained still and quiet throughout this exchange. Snape gruffly handed her a mug, and she relished the warmth that emanated from it. After taking a few sips of tea, Severus Snape seemed to regain some composure.

"I am fine, Miss Antonova. Now, if you will _stop staring_, we have important matters to discuss." Snape's voice was exhausted and strained, but held no serious malice.

"Yes, of course, sorry professor. Where would you like to begin?" replied Katya in an accommodating tone. If Snape was actually going to attempt civility, she certainly wasn't going to discourage it.

"Your assistantship—I imagine I will need your services about two days a week, preferably on Sunday and Wednesday evenings to assist with the ridiculous surplus of grading this year, and also with potions preparations. I run a tight ship, Miss Antonova, and I won't have you taking it easy on the other students when you grade them. The art of potions requires attention to detail and great effort if one is to pass with good marks, no exceptions. Are we clear?" Snape's voice was clipped and authoritative, despite being heavily laced with weariness.

Katya nodded vigorously, eager to show that she really could do an exceptional job. If there was one thing she took pride in, it was her seemingly intuitive skill with potions.

"Fine. You will report to me after dinner on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, starting this week. Now, on to the matter of your training…"

"About that sir," Katya broke in, cutting Snape off, "I find a mentor highly unnecessary. I know you are very busy, and surely you do not desire to your waste time bothering with me. Perhaps you could convince McGonagall that I really do not need training," implored Katya, her voice rushed and her eyes pleading.

Snape's eyebrows arched as he wondered at the desperation staining her voice. Her suggestion was tempting, but Severus knew McGonagall wouldn't budge on this matter, and so he did not want to trouble himself with another pointless argument.

"Miss Antonova, I saw the repercussions of your unchecked anger this past Friday, and I am sure Mr. Malfoy can attest to your obvious need of training. While I can't say that I am thrilled about being chosen as your mentor, I know without a doubt that Headmistress McGonagall is set on you learning to control yourself."

Katya slumped down in her chair in defeat. She had sincerely hoped that the potions professor would be as equally unwilling as she was to embark on this ridiculous mission to "train" her magic. Didn't these people know anything? Hadn't they heard what she had done? Katya steeled herself against her better judgment to remain silent and tried a new strategy.

"But sir…I am dangerous. To you, I mean. I am not sure you understand what I am capable of…"

Robust chuckles interrupted Katya's desperate speech. He was _laughing_ at her!

"Oh that is typical Gryffindor arrogance at its finest! You think that you could actually hurt me? Touching, but I am afraid we are both stuck in this mess," said Snape, sneering at the thought of being overpowered by any student.

While Snape had used this very argument against McGonagall when she first insisted he train Katya, he had never truly been afraid. He simply wanted to avoid the awkward predicament of being forced into Katya's presence and the inconvenient waste of his time. Although not arrogant, Severus knew he was a powerful wizard, well versed in defensive and rare magic. There was no way that a 16 year old witch with a temper problem would _ever _hurt him. The mere idea made him break into another peal of laughter.

Katya's eyes dropped to her lap and her face flushed in anger at the way that Snape lightly brushed off her warning. How dare he underestimate her! She didn't want to do this, she just…couldn't! Katya didn't want someone in her head, playing games with her mind. Panic swept through her gut, twisting her insides painfully. Her breath came in shallow, fast gasps. She felt suffocated. _Air! She needed air!_ Her hands trembled around her mug of tea as she clenched her jaw so tightly she thought it would crack. Suddenly there was a loud screeching shatter, and the noise shocked Katya out of her unstable state of mind.

She looked up to see Snape's eyes narrowed into angry slits, his glare directed at the mess of glass shards and the amber liquid that had pooled on his desk, remnants of mug of tea he had just been holding in his hand. His livid eyes moved from the broken glass to a quivering and petrified Katya. A heavy silence settled over the pair for several moments, the weight of it bearing down on Katya's heaving chest.

"I—I'm so sorry!" bleated Katya in terror and regret.

"Quite volatile, aren't you?" said Snape as he picked a shard of glass out of his palm, his voice so level it was unnerving. "Yes, I do think it best we start your lessons tonight. We should meet three nights a week—Monday, Tuesday and Thursday—until you have learned some semblance of self-control. Now, I suggest you run along, or you will be late for Transfiguration."

With that Snape effectively ended any further argument from Katya. She left silently, walking her way dejectedly towards her Transfiguration classroom. She had really done it now! Snape would be unbearable now that she had actually inflicted physical harm on him. _Serves him right for not understanding, arrogant fool! And that was nothing! A hiccup practically! _

After siphoning the wet mess off his desk and healing the small wound in his hand, Severus paced across the width of his office, deep in thought. Katya's powers were impressive, but so easily triggered. He wondered how she had managed to make it through her life without killing some poor sod who just so happened to cross her on a bad day. _Well, _he thought, _I will just have to put her in her place._


	9. Chapter 9: Training

The rest of Severus' Monday was spent fighting off exhaustion and a raging headache that had taken up stubborn residence in his temples, pounding in reproach of even the slightest noise. This made for a difficult teaching day, and even he felt remotely sorry for the students who had to endure his hangover-induced temper. Fortunately, his afternoon potions lab with the 4th years had gotten out early and he was able to dart back to his chambers for some hangover potion and another mug of tea. He was impressed with his 4th year class. Although he would never admit his feelings to them, he was proud of their performance so far. Severus felt that with the war fresh in their minds, the students felt more grateful for their educational opportunities and were perhaps putting in a bit more effort this year. At least so far. Upon checking the time, Severus slammed the rest of his tea and headed for the greenhouses. He was running low on his antidote stocks. He had to check on the status of the Mandrake plants he would need to replenish his supply and make an appearance at dinner before his training session with Katya.

Katya strolled through the castle on her way to her first training session, feeling much better than she had that morning. She was not late to Transfiguration after all, and in fact, her classes had all went very well that morning, especially DADA. She had almost forgotten how much she loved learning over the summer, and it felt great to be back in an academic setting, exercising her pent-up magic.

Although Katya still caught whispers of gossip throughout the day, none of the Slytherins approached her. She even caught Draco Malfoy shrinking away from her when she passed him in a crowded hall between classes. Katya had to laugh at that. Maybe her unruly magic was good for something, even if just for deterring the "ferret", as Hermione had called him.

Ginny was with Katya most of the day, as they had almost every class together, so the time between classes passed in friendly conversation. Dinner with the rest of her new friends had been a jovial, refreshing end to the day. Apparently there had been a mishap in the7th year Gryffindor-Slytherin charms class that had ended with Millicent's hair being semi-permanently colored bright blue. Ron's retelling of the story, including his imitations of girly shrieks of outrage, made Katya laugh so hard her eyes watered. Yes, she was in a much lighter mood as she traversed the winding corridors to Snape's dungeon office.

She dealt a couple solid knocks to Snape's door and was quickly let in. Katya was impressed with her potions professor's ability to always be impeccably on time. Grouchy git he might be, but he was highly professional. Although there were still faint shadows under his eyes, he looked considerably better than he had this morning. She was careful not to be caught staring again, but she couldn't help but notice his attire. He was no longer wearing his billowing, cape-like dress robes, but was instead clad in comfortable looking black slacks and a grey long sleeve t-shirt with a slight v at the collar. These new clothes flattered his masculine body, revealing the planes of muscle that had been previously hidden under yards of black fabric. This man definitely did not spend his entire time sitting behind a desk grading papers. Katya wondered what other activities occupied his life to keep him so fit.

"Good evening, Miss Antonova. I trust you have come ready for an evening of hard work," greeted Snape, arching a dark eyebrow at her.

Katya shook her head, clearing away thoughts of Snape's obviously fit body. "Yes, Professor Snape. Are we going to practice in here?"

Severus watched as Katya nervously eyed all of the breakable furniture in the room.

"Not to worry. I have cast protective charms over everything in here, and you can trust they are not easily penetrated," Snape replied with a confident tone. "Now, let's get started. First, I would like to know more about your condition. Tell me, when did you first learn that you were a magicafectus? You mentioned you had a mentor at Durmstrang?" Always the academic, interested in rarities of the magical world, it was a challenge for him to keep the curiosity out of his voice.

Katya bit her bottom lip as her brow furrowed in thought. She didn't like discussing her situation, but it was clear she was not getting out of training until she could prove she had more control. The sooner she cooperated, the sooner she could get out of this uncomfortable arrangement. Maybe she could even avoid talking about her family, since Snape appeared to know so little about her history. She decided to share a relatively safe memory.

"Well, as you may already know, we magicafectus can begin to show signs of powerful magic very early. I am the only one in my family besides my great-great grandmother. I was six when my first act occurred."

Snape assessed Katya as her blue eyes grew distant and her mind carried her far away from Hogwarts to another place and time.

"It was a beautiful late spring day. The kind where the sun warms your skin and you can smell the fresh grass. My little brother had just been born and my whole family was on a picnic. I remember laying on my back on a blanket, nestled leisurely between my parents, finding shapes in the clouds. Then I just felt this feeling in my chest, growing and blossoming…like the richest joy imaginable..." Katya paused, lost in her reverie.

"And what happened next?" asked Snape, his voice low.

Katya turned and met his dark eyes with her own that were now shining with emotion and continued. "An entire field of daisies suddenly sprouted up around us. I felt like the earth was rejoicing with me. And my parents were so happy…" Katya's voice grew quieter and trailed away.

"Hmm, that's interesting. Well, your first experience was due to a positive emotion. That is a good sign. Did your parents begin your training then?" pressed Snape.

"No. No…there was never any need for training until the year before last. The war…it made things difficult at Durmstrang. While the fighting may have been heaviest here, the Dark Lord's influence spread far and wide. My parents did not endorse the philosophy of the Death Eaters. Suffice it to say that many people were not so kind to those of us who stood up for muggle rights. That is when things became difficult."

Snape couldn't help but notice the shift in Katya's countenance. It was as if a heavy cloud had passed over her face, once again masking her lighter side. His dark mark itched beneath his left shirt sleeve and familiar guilt began to build in his stomach. He felt the compulsive need to move the conversation forward, before his guilt could swallow him whole.

"You were able to manage your outbursts without a mentor until then? Forgive me for doubting you, but control of that magnitude would be most impressive."

"It's true. Before, if I felt upset, I just thought of my brother Luka. He was all the joy anyone could need. Full of so much goodness."

Snape quirked an eyebrow at her and resisted the urge to ask her what had happened to her brother. He assumed it was nothing good. A brief silence passed between them, and Katya chewed her bottom lip, nervous at the dangerous turn this conversation was taking. She decided to change the subject.

"But anyway, I started working with a mentor in my 5th year. Like the other Hogwarts students, I am repeating my 6th year. In fact, I will be turning 17 very soon. I worked with him throughout my 5th year, and my skills began to improve. However, in the beginning of my 6th year the war took a turn for the worst. Things became very difficult for us all, and my mentor became…indisposed."

Katya faltered over this last word, knowing she had been the cause. She could only hope Snape lacked the intuition to press her further on this matter. His intense gaze was still trained on her, assessing her.

Severus could see the hurt in Katya's expression. One could not endure such extreme heartache as he had himself and not recognize it in other people. It was almost like a secret code that only those who had endured great suffering could read. Sometimes he wished he was not privy to this language of the broken, but there was no undoing the past. He thought it best to not push Katya too much at present. They would need to delve deeper eventually, but it would not be good for her progress just yet. Since it seemed that happy emotions were the key to helping her master herself, he would first try that approach.

"Katya, are you familiar with legilimency?"

"Y-yes. Why?" asked Katya, her voice laced with suspicion. What could he want with her mind?

"I am a highly skilled legilimens. I would like to incorporate this skill into your training. I won't look for memories you do not present to me, so don't be afraid for your privacy. Do you trust me?"

Katya just nodded apprehensively. Although she was not keen on the idea of opening her mind to this imposing man, what choice did she really have?

"I need you to think about the day that you assaulted Mr. Malfoy. I need to experience what your emotions. So close your eyes and focus on that memory. Now this may feel strange."

Katya was embarrassed at the thought of sharing the memory of her defilement with Snape but she did as she was asked. She squeezed her eyes tightly together. Her focus turned to bringing that horrible memory and all that had led up to it to the forefront of her mind. She felt a push against her consciousness and then a strange sensation as Snape's presence seeped into her thoughts as they flitted around her head. Malfoy's insinuating voice whispering _maybe you could show me just how bad, yea?_ Blaise having the audacity to lay his hands on her. Malfoy taking a handful of her arse, treating her like she was an object, invading her body. She felt the all too familiar shock, fear, and rage swell up in her belly, coalescing into a tidal wave of emotion she was helpless to fight.

Before she had to relive the entirety of her eruption, she felt a distracting tug as Snape withdraw from her mind. Her eyes snapped open and she looked up into the face of her livid potions professor. His lips were drawn into a thin, angry line and his eyes were vicious slights of dark night. He was deathly silent for several seconds, and just as Katya was about to question him he spoke, his voice dangerous.

"So, that day you lost your control because you were essentially being sexually harassed? By members of _my house?_?"

Katya froze. She hadn't really considered what his reactions to Malfoy's behavior would be. After all, he had punished her for the event.

"Well, I guess if you want to call it that—" Snape raised his hand and cut her off.

"Enough. Needless to say, I will deal with those boys. Disgracing the house of Slytherin!"

While Katya did not care for the two Slytherin boys, she hoped the gods had mercy on them when the wrath of Severus Snape caught up to them. Judging by the cherry tone of his cheeks and stern set of his jaw, they were in for a truly abrasive encounter.

"Now, back to your training. This has given me an idea of where your mind takes you when you lose control. One of the methods I will teach you is a variant of occlumency. Instead of protecting your mind form others you will learn to protect it from yourself. You must learn to close off that part of your mind that is uncontrollable."

Katya listened intently, for this was much different than the approach that her previous mentor had taken.

"Once you have built up your defenses, I will find various ways to assault them, first from the outside and then from within. The first step is to learn to empty your mind."

Snape launched into a sophisticated explanation of how to clear one's head of all thoughts. He could only hope that she was more adept at this task than Potter had been. Later, he would slowly add meditation on positive experiences to reinforce Katya's defenses, but for now he would start with the basics.

The pair continued to work diligently until they were both pushing their limits of mental fatigue. Katya was taken aback by Professor Snape's new approach to her treatment. She felt like she was grasping the concepts and even doing well. And while he had pushed her, they had not broached her most haunting memories. Perhaps this would not be such an awful experience after all. She left his office at half past twelve, a thin sheen of sweat covering her body and a small smile of satisfaction playing on her lips.

Although Snape had expected to thoroughly hate working with Katya, he was pleasantly surprised. She seemed fairly bright and willing to learn. He was harsh with his criticisms, but she responded well by pushing herself to improve. By the end of their session, Katya had been able to empty her mind of all thoughts even against slight probes from Snape's mind. He would push her harder next time. The sooner she could learn to keep her mind level against the attacks of others, the sooner she could learn to master her own mental attacks. As the thought of Zabini's and his godson's actions crossed his mind, his anger grew again. He would deal with those boys soon.


End file.
